The subject invention relates to concrete paving components and more particularly, relates to an illumination system comprising a paving stone or block including optical fibers and an integral solid state light source for providing surface, area, accent, edge or ornamental lighting within or outlining sidewalks, walkways, driveways, pathways and indoor or outdoor floors and walls.
Cast concrete paving components are often referred to as unit pavers when installed abutted or in quantity covering large areas and as stepping stones when installed in strings or individually to form a narrow pathway or walkway. The use of unit pavers and stepping stones for covering soil or loose surfaces to provide walkways, pathways, floors or road surfaces is well known. Typically, unit pavers and stepping stones are designed to be attractive in appearance and functional. The most common unit pavers and stepping stones are constructed from cast concrete or pressure formed aggregates to provide a heavy weight, hard surface and durable paver or stepping stone, as is needed for use in a pathway, walkway, floor or road surface. In addition to being functional, unit pavers and stepping stones are versatile and are typically available in various shapes, sizes, colors, textures and finishes and interlocking designs.
Where there is a paved surface, it is often desirable and sometimes necessary to provide lighting for the surface. The most common method of lighting a surface is to use light fixtures, such as lamp posts, designed to cast light onto the surface for aesthetic and safety reasons. However, the light cast from a fixture may only illuminate a portion of the surface immediately adjacent to the fixture and may not sufficiently light the entire surface. Moreover, it may not be practical or desirable to position light fixtures adjacent to the paved surface to provide the needed light. Thus, it is desirable to provide lighting for paved surfaces without the use of lighting fixtures.
To this end, attempts have been made to incorporate light into paved surfaces and stepping stones. Planters, curbing, steps, brick and blocks have been known to be illuminated. Examples of prior art lighting devices in paved or floor surfaces are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,992,914; 4,697,950; 4,744,014; 5,683,170; 5,678,920; 5,160,202; 4,907,361; 4,223,377; 4,340,929; and 4,303,969. In one type of illuminated stepping stone, multiple separate small light bulbs are imbedded in a groove or molded cavity in the top surface of the stone. While stones of this type have been made of concrete, one disadvantage is that the light is not spread over the entire surface of the stone. In addition, because of the precision molding required and the high maintenance requirements of the multiple light bulbs, stones constructed in this manner are typically cost prohibitive and undesirable.
Another type of illuminated stone or block is one where a light source projects light through a lens or window set in the visible surface of the stone. Bricks, blocks and curbing materials are often made by casting or molding a cavity within the object which has a window visible to the top surface in communication with the cavity and installing a light source, typically a light bulb, within the cavity that projects light through the window. While this type of product may be practical in some instances, one disadvantage is that it may require continual ongoing maintenance. Another disadvantage is that creating a cavity within the block may weaken the strength and durability of the block so that this type of block may not be ideal for surfaces used for walking or vehicle traffic or otherwise supporting heavy weights.
Similarly, stepping stones utilizing an open box with a transparent or translucent top cover with a light source placed inside the box which emits light through the cover are available. However, these types of stones do not have adequate top surface strength to resist breakage in high load or sudden impact situations. In addition, these types of stones may be subject to damage from water inclusion and may require a great deal of maintenance. Thus, all of the prior art lighting devices include chambers, grooves, channels, pockets or panels within the stone or paving object for housing a light bulb which emits light at the top surface of the stone. While some prior art devices may provide lighting for paved surfaces without the use of overhead lighting fixtures, none of the prior art devices provide a paving block or stepping stone which has the strength, versatility and functionality of a concrete unit paver or stepping stone nor do they provide a lighted surface which includes various patterns of light which may cover the entire surface of the block or stone.
Therefore, there is a need for an illuminated paving block or stone which incorporates light into the surface and has strength comparable to a concrete unit paver or stepping stone while providing an inexpensive, illuminated paving surface which is attractive in appearance, versatile, functional and may include various patterns of light, as desired, and requires little or no maintenance.